At least 23 Brazilian football clubs have asked the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to join legal proceedings challenging the Government’s ban on betting.
The clubs argued that the immediate suspension of sponsorship deals threatens their financial stability.
The requests were submitted to Justice Luiz Fux, who is overseeing challenges to Provisional Measure 1,394/2026, signed by President Lula da Silva on September 25. The measure prohibits fixed-odds betting nationwide and bans related advertising and sponsorships.
Flamengo was the first club to submit a request, estimating the measure could cost it between BR400m and BR430m in revenue next year.
Botafogo filed a separate request, warning that losing its Vbet sponsorship, worth about $10m annually, could undermine its court-supervised recovery plan.
A joint filing by São Paulo, Ponte Preta, Vitória, Guarani and Portuguesa warns that lost sponsorship income could delay salaries and image-rights payments, potentially allowing players to terminate their contracts if payments remain outstanding for three months.
São Paulo says its suspended Superbet agreement provides for BR95m in payments this year and BR678m through 2030.
A second collective filing represents 16 clubs, including Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Ceará and Goiás. The group argues smaller teams are especially exposed given their greater reliance on sponsorship income.
According to the clubs, betting companies provided more than BR1bn in sponsorships to Série A teams in 2025, representing 34% of their commercial revenue.
They also warn the disruption could affect youth development, women’s football and Olympic and Paralympic sports, and question the lack of a transition period for existing contracts.
The Brazilian Championship returned without betting brands on team shirts, advertising boards, pitch-side materials, backdrops or other commercial properties
